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Aglaia argentea Blume
| Family Name: | Meliaceae |
| Common Name: | Silver Boodyara, Bekak, Koping-koping |
Name
Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Division | Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) |
|---|---|
| Plant Growth Form | Tree |
| Maximum Height | 30 m |
Biogeography
| Native Distribution | Myanmar, Thailand, Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia, Borneo, Java, Philippines, Celebes, Lesser Sunda Islands, Moluccas, New Guinea, to Solomon Islands and northern Australia (Cape York Peninsula). |
|---|---|
| Native Habitat | Terrestrial |
| Preferred Climate Zone | Tropical |
Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | It is a tree, up to 30 m tall, with buttresses up to 1m high. Bark is brown – grey and produce white latex when injured. |
|---|---|
| Foliage | Leaves is compound (17 – 112 cm long and 14 – 75 cm wide) with 4 – 6 sub opposite leaflets on each side of the stalk and 1 terminal leaflet. Leaves tend to cluster close together near the terminal end of the twig. Leaflet is elliptical or oblong (6.5 – 31 cm long and 2 – 7 cm wide), shiny green above and thickly covered in white and brown peltate scales beneath, giving a silvery appearance. Leaflets have rounded or asymmetrical base, acuminate tip (0.1 cm long) and 9 – 20 lateral veins on each side. |
| Flowers | Inflorescence is up to 60 cm long and 60 cm wide, and densely covered with brown peltate scales. Flowers are small, ellipsoid (2.5 – 3 mm long and 1.6 – 2 mm wide) with 5 petals and anthers, and a brown calyx that is deeply divided into 5 lobes. |
| Fruit | Fruit is ovoid – obovoid (3 – 3.5 cm log and 2 – 3 cm wide), turns yellow or brown when mature but does not split open. Each fruit contains 2 – 3 locules with 1 seed in each locule. Seed is surrounded by white sweet-sour aril. |
| Habitat | It is found in lowland forest or limestone forest, up to 1200 m altitude. |
| Etymology | Genus Aglaia is derived from the Greek word Αγλαιη which means splendour or beauty and also refers to one of the three Graces in Greek mythology. Specific epithet argentea is Argente in latin, which means silvery, referring to the silvery underside of the leaflets. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses | Edible Plant Parts : Edible Fruits Food (Fruit or Vegetable) Others: Wood is used as timber for construction. Aril of the seed is edible and also eaten by monkeys and hornbills. |
Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Full Sun |
|---|---|
| Water Preference | Moderate Water |
| Plant Growth Rate | Moderate |
Image Repository
Others
| Master ID | 29199 |
|---|---|
| Species ID | 3508 |
| Flora Disclaimer | The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes. |
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